Putsche injury a blow to Cape Town club

FEW have ever come out unscathed after a blow to the chin from Tyson and so Cape Town City must do without midfield workhorse Roland Putsche for today’s key clash against Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League.

The Austrian received 17 stitches after a clash of heads with Bidvest Wits captain Thulani “Tyson” Hlatshwayo on Sunday and had been told by doctors to lay off for a week‚ his coach Benni McCarthy said on the eve of the game at the Cape Town Stadium.

The incident occurred in Sunday’s MTN8 semifinal secondleg tie in Johannesburg.

It is a blow for the home team who are seeking to keep up their 100% start to the season.

Putsche, 26, has been everpresent this season‚ not missing a minute of action since McCarthy took over‚ and provided much of the work in the midfield with his constant harrying and tackling of opponents. He was named man of the match last month after the first leg of City’s 3-1 aggregate win over holders Bidvest Wits in the semifinal of the MTN8.

He joins Aubrey Ngoma and Judas Moseamedi on the sidelines of the game.

Ngoma is still six weeks away from returning to training after his knee surgery in June while Moseamedi‚ who pulled knee ligaments, is back running but has yet to engage in full contact training with the rest of the team.